National Assembly Elections

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for the reform of elections to the Welsh Assembly.

Nick Ainger: The Government's proposals for the current electoral system are set out in chapter 4 of the "Better Governance for Wales" White Paper, which was published on 15 June 2005.

UK Trade and Investment

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many websites are maintained by UK Trade and Investment aimed at helping businesses to trade with overseas countries; which (a) region and (b) overseas country is targeted by each website; and how many visits to each website there were in 2004–05.

Ian Pearson: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) maintains a number of websites designed to meet the needs of our different customers. The main site is www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk. Country specific sites are provided to address particular customer needs and to publicise opportunities in the UK for foreign businesses. UKTI's English regional network has developed sites where this has been agreed with regional partners as part of individual regional strategies. These aim to complement the information on the main site. The remainder of the international network provides information on trade and investment opportunities via relevant areas on their local embassy or consulate sites provided via the FCO. Details on the UKTI sites focused on countries and the regions are listed as follows:
	
		
			 Website address Countries Usage data 
		
		
			 National sites   
			 http://www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk All countries (5)Not available 
			 http://www.overseas-trade.co.uk/ All countries (6)6,739 
			
			 Country specific sites   
			 http://uktradeinvest.britaus.net/ UK and Australia Not available 
			 http://www.uktradeinvestcanada.org/ UK and Canada (7)Not available 
			 http://www.cbbc.org/ UK and China (8)Not available 
			 http://www.westmarche.co.uk UK and France Not available 
			 http://www.uktradeinvest.de/ UK and Germany (9)10,357 
			 http://www.ibpn.co.uk/ UK and India (10)Not available 
			 http://trade.uktradeinvest.jp/ukdirectory/ UK and Japan (11)Not available 
			 http://www.mexbritbusiness.org/ UK and Mexico Not available 
			 http://www.uktradeinvest.co.nz/ UK and New Zealand Not available 
			 http://uktradeinvestusa.com and http://uktradeinvestusa.org/ UK and USA (12)210,552 
			
			 English region sites   
			 http://www.exporteastofengland.org.uk Eastern region (13)91,022 
			 http://www.itrade.org.uk/ Eastern region (5) 0 Not available 
			 http://www.emids.uktradeinvest.gov.uk/ East Midlands (5)(6)17,923 
			 http://www.exportnortheast.com/ North East region (5)(6)278,310 
			 http://www.uktisoutheast.com South East region (5)(6)10,700 
			 http://www.china-swengland-business.info/ South West region (5)(6)10,699 
			 http://www.passportwm.org.uk/ West Midlands (5)(6)226,454 
		
	
	(5) Site was moved to a new technical infrastructure in September 2004. Information about hits on the new site was not available until August 2005. Data for the period 1 August 2005 to 30 September 2005 totalled 169,235. Comparable data from the previous system are not available.
	(6) Data are for period August 2004 to July 2005 and are for unique visitors.
	(7) Site receives approximately 265 visits per day (approx 97,000 per annum).
	(8) Site is not managed by UKTI but funding is provided via grant in aid to the China-Britain Business Council.
	(9) Data refer to visits for period October 2004 to September 2005.
	(10) Site introduced in October 2005. Visitor statistics not yet available.
	(11) Site was launched in June 2005 to promote UK creative companies and forms part of www.uknow.or.jp site. Visitor statistics are not available.
	(12) Data refer to total sessions on the site in 2004–05.
	(13) Data refer to total visitors to the site between April 2004 and March 2005.
	(14) 0 Site is provided to support Passport (a programme to develop clients' trade development capacity) customers in the Eastern region.
	(15)
	(16) Data are for period August 2004 to March 2005 only.
	(17)
	(18) Data are for the period July 2004 to March 2005.
	(19) Site went live April 2005. The data on visits are for period April to September 2005.
	(20) Data relate to hits since launch in October 2004.
	(21) Site was launched in March 2005 to support Passport customers. Data refer to page views to September.

Cambridgeshire County Council

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the reasons are for his Department's ruling that Cambridgeshire county council may not decide whether it should install signs saying No Entry Except for Cyclists or No Entry Except for Buses but must follow a central standard.

Karen Buck: holding answer 28 October 2005
	The design and use of traffic signs is specified in national regulations so that signs will be used consistently and safely. No-entry signs are safety critical signs that are used with physical barriers or to prevent conflicts and collisions between opposing streams of traffic. The combination with "Except buses" plates has been permitted for contraflow bus lanes in one-way streets or other bus-only facilities that it is clearly not appropriate for other vehicles to use. We do not believe that cyclists should be encouraged to cycle past no-entry signs, and the use of "except cycles" plates with no-entry signs is specifically prohibited by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD). There are other sign designs available to indicate routes that cycles and buses, but not other motor vehicles, can use.

Departmental Consultation

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list formal consultations being sponsored by his Department and its agencies; and what the (a) commencement date and (b) deadline for responses is in each case.

Karen Buck: A list of current formal public consultations by the Department and its Executive Agencies is listed in the following table. They are available on our website: http://www.dft.gov.uk.
	
		Consultations currently in progress for the Department for Transport and its Executive Agencies
		
			 Title of consultation Commencement date Deadline for responses 
		
		
			 Department for Transport website address: http://www.dft.gov.uk 
			 Taxis and private hire vehicles—consultation on draft Best Practice Guidance 2 August 2005 28 October 2005 
			 UK Regulatory Requirements to Foreign Registered Aircraft 1 August 2005 28 October 2005 
			 Guidance to local authorities seeking DfT funding for transport Major Schemes 1 April 2005 The original deadline for this was the 30 September 2005. This was extended to 31 October 2005. A further extension will be given to coincide with the closure of the forthcoming consultation on preparatory costs for major schemes. 
			 Rail Interoperability Regulations and the interface with rail safety legislation(21) 3 October 2005 15 November 2005 
			 Consultation on implementation of the Bunkers Convention 2 September 2005 25 November 2005 
			 Proposal for a regulation on public passenger transport services by rail and by road 21 October 2005 13 January 2006 
			  
			 Highways Agency website address: http://www.highways.gov.uk 
			 Revision of Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual 1 October 2005 31 December 2005 
			  
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency website address: http://www.mcga.gov.uk 
			 Yacht Deck Officer Certificates 12 August 2005 4 November 2005 
			 Destination of Vessel Traffic Services in the UK 12 October 2005 9 January 2006 
			 Noise and Vibration 19 October 2005 16 January 2006 
		
	
	The following Agencies do not have any consultations in progress at the moment:
	Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
	Driving Standards Agency (DSA)
	Vehicle and Operator Services Agency
	Vehicle Certification Agency
	This consultation is shorter than the standard 12 weeks required by the code of practice on consultation because it was a follow up to an earlier consultation which lasted 12 weeks.

Milton Keynes

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding was allocated by his Department to Milton Keynes for (a) capital projects and (b) revenue funding in each of the last five years.

Karen Buck: The funding provided to Milton Keynes council for local transport capital expenditure since 2001 is shown in the table.
	
		Milton Keynes council £ million
		
			  Capital maintenance Integrated block Total 
		
		
			 2001–02 2.069 1.6 3.669 
			 2002–03 2.194 1.601 3.795 
			 2003–04 1.645 1.51 3.155 
			 2004–05 1.92 1.555 3.475 
			 2005–06 2.069 1.599 3.668 
		
	
	Capital maintenance funding is allocated to local highways authorities for investment in their highway network, including its structures and street lighting. The integrated transport block is Government funding support for transport improvements schemes each costing less than £5 million and can be used for local highways or public transport capital projects. It has been for Milton Keynes council to determine how these allocations were spent, in line with their local transport plan and their priorities.
	Revenue funding paid by my Department to Milton Keynes council in the form of Rural Bus Subsidy Grant and Rural Bus challenge funding, since 2001 is shown in the following table:
	
		Bus grant paid to Milton Keynes council
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2001–02 0.29 
			 2002–03 0.104 
			 2003–04 0.106 
			 2004–05 0.113 
			 2005–06 0.117 
		
	
	The Revenue Support Grant (RSG) from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister provides further revenue funding for highway maintenance, concessionary fairs and subsidising bus services. However, RSG is unhypothecated and may be applied by local authorities to any services.

Air Quality

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions have been made against local authorities who fail to meet their targets under air quality management areas in the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Under the local air quality management system, there is no obligation on local authorities to meet the air quality objectives, as prescribed in regulations. Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 only requires local authorities to act "in pursuit of the achievement" of air quality objectives. This is because responsibility for action needed to regulate sources of emissions often lies outside their remit.
	Under section 85 of the Environment Act 1995, the Secretary of State has reserve powers requiring English local authorities to take action where they are failing to make sufficient progress. The Secretary of State may issue directions to require local authorities to take any of the following steps:
	Carry out an air quality review and assessment under section 82 of the Act;
	Re-do an air quality review and assessment in whole or in part;
	Make an order designating an air quality management area (AQMA);
	Revoke or modify an AQMA order;
	Prepare an action plan;
	Modify any action plan;
	Implement any actions in an action plan; and
	Exercise powers in pursuit of the air quality objectives.
	These reserve powers have never been used, and are seen as a last resort, only to be used where local authorities have clearly failed to carry out their local air quality management duties.
	All Government Departments, including mine, have agreed a "Memorandum of Understanding", to be found at http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_local gov/documents/page/odpm_locgov_029528.hcsp which formalises arrangements for handling poorly performing local authorities following the introduction of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment. The memorandum encourages central Government to "engage" with local authorities to address performance issues, and intervene where performance is giving cause for concern. In the last five years, where authorities have been falling behind with their air quality duties, my officials have engaged with those authorities to learn more about why they are falling behind and provided support as necessary. My officials have also met with a number of authorities who have been delayed with their air quality review and assessment reports. Ministers have also written to a number of authorities requesting submission of late reports and answered a parliamentary question in May 2001 highlighting which authorities had failed to complete their air quality reviews and assessments at that stage.

Departmental Priorities

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what priorities the Department has set for 2006–07.

Jim Knight: holding answer given 27 October 2005
	DEFRA's priorities are set out in its Five-Year Strategy, "Delivering the Essentials of Life", published in December 2004. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Energy Efficiency

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to encourage local authorities to improve energy efficiency in their housing stock, with particular reference to Gravesham.

Elliot Morley: The Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA) requires all UK local authorities with housing responsibilities to prepare and publish an energy conservation report identifying practicable and cost-effective measures likely to result in significant improvement in the energy efficiency of all residential accommodation in their area; and to report on progress in implementing the measures.
	Under the Government's Decent Homes standard all social housing in England is required to have efficient heating and effective insulation by 2010. My understanding is that Gravesham borough council are currently considering transferring their housing stock under Large Scale Voluntary Transfer (LSVT) in order to help deliver this. They are receiving support from the Government-funded Energy Saving Trust (EST) "Local Support" initiative. This is an enhanced energy efficiency advice service that delivers bespoke support to local authorities to tackle climate change, including energy efficiency under LSVT of social housing.

Farming

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average yearly farm income was from 1984 to 2005.

Jim Knight: holding answer 26 October 2005
	The average yearly farm income for England in each year from 1983–84 to 2003–04 is given in the following table (2004–05 due to be published 27 October):
	
		Average net farm incomes in England (£/farm)(26) £
		
			 March/February England farm 
		
		
			 1983–84 12,500 
			 1984–85 14,000 
			 1985–86 7,700 
			 1986–87 11,600 
			 1987–88 11,900 
			 1988–89 12,600 
			 1989–90 17,500 
			 1990–91 16,700 
			 1991–92 18,000 
			 1992–93 22,100 
			 1993–94 23,800 
			 1994–95 28,800 
			 1995–96 38,200 
			 1996–97 31,700 
			 1997–98 15,200 
			 1998–99 11,500 
			 1999–2000 8,700 
			 2000–01 10,600 
			 2001–02(27) 14,900 
			 2002–03 16,600 
			 2003–04 30,200 
		
	
	(26) The data may differ slightly from those published in past years. They have been re-calculated to take account of changes to farm typology.
	(27) Excludes farms subjected to compulsory foot and mouth disease cull. Net farm income is defined as the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and on the tenant type capital invested in the business.
	Source:
	Farm Business Survey

Packaging Waste Regulations

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  for what reasons the consultation period for the 'Meeting the 2008 Directive Targets' regarding the packaging waste regulations was set at six weeks;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of whether the consultation on the packaging waste regulations complied with the code of practice on consultations;
	(3)  what reasons underlay the timetable for the consultation on the packaging waste regulations;
	(4)  what reasons underlay the proposals in the Department's 'Meeting the 2008 Directive Targets' consultation in relation to decision-making procedures on competence.

Ben Bradshaw: The Cabinet Office's code of practice on consultations states that
	"a minimum 12 week consultation process is required during the development of policy".
	It goes on to say
	"however, there will be exceptional circumstances that require a consultation period of less than 12 weeks".
	The Government are aware that for businesses with obligations under the packaging regulations to be able to plan ahead, new targets need to be made public as soon as possible before the beginning of a new obligation year on 1 January. We are also aware of the need to make changes to the legislation before the House rises in December if the legal provisions are to be in place by 1 January. Ensuring that this timing is met has been the Government's prime objective this year. In addition to consulting on changes to the regulations, the Government are in the process of consolidating the original 1997 regulations with the subsequent amendments. It was clear that if we had consulted for 12 weeks, we would have jeopardised our ability to announce new targets and other changes and make new regulations before the start of the next obligation year. The Government therefore consulted members of the Advisory Committee on Packaging, the industry body which represents packaging industry views to Government. They recognised the problem and agreed that the main objective was to get the changes announced as early as possible and the changes in place. For these reasons, we consulted for six weeks.
	The proposals on conditional approval and scrutinising scheme operational plans were put forward because discussions with industry suggested that compliance schemes and large producers may not at present be placing sufficient focus on meeting the 2008 directive targets and on the planning and action that they need to take now in order to do so. The changes put forward were therefore designed to shift the focus onto the 2008 directive targets.

Packaging Waste Regulations

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms the Government plan to put in place to scrutinise operational plans of compliance schemes and large producers with regard to the new packaging waste regulations.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government proposed in the "Consultation Paper on Meeting Directive Targets in 2008" published earlier this year, to apply an additional level of resource to the scrutiny of compliance schemes' and large producers' operational plans, over and above that which the agency is currently and will continue to be, required to do.
	This proposal was widely supported by those consulted and so the Government have commissioned consultants to build an IT based scrutiny system which, together with a qualitative assessment, will allow the operational plans to be considered in terms of their ability to meet the next packaging directive targets, both individually and in aggregate. The Government believe that the additional scrutiny is necessary to ensure a longer term focus on the actions producers and schemes will have to take to ensure that their compliance allows the UK to meet its directive targets in 2008.

Supermarkets

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department has had regarding the code of practice for supermarkets; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Responsibility for the code of practice rests with the Office of Fair Trading. However, as DEFRA is the sponsor Department for the farming and food industries the subject of the code will have arisen in the course of discussions and correspondence between DEFRA and representatives of various bodies, including farming and retail organisations. We have also discussed the code with the Department for Trade and Industry and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) as and when the need has arisen, most recently in the context of the OFT's August 2005 report "Supermarkets: the Code of Practice and Other Competition Issues".

Housing Association Tenants

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the bar to the right to acquire their home at a discount will be lifted for tenants of properties built or acquired by housing associations before 1 April 1997.

Yvette Cooper: The Government have no plans to change the eligibility for the Right to Acquire scheme. However, the Government are introducing a Social Homebuy product in April 2006 which will help social tenants to buy a minimum 25 per cent. share at a discount.
	Details of the Social Homebuy proposals are outlined in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Consultation Paper "Homebuy-expanding the opportunity to own", launched in April 2005 and the Government's Response to this consultation which was published on 14 September 2005. The Consultation Paper is available in the House of Commons Library and the Government's response can be accessed on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website.

Market Towns (Housing Density)

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will (a) set limits on the housing density of market towns and (b) ensure that changes to housing density in market towns takes place only after consultation with local residents.

Yvette Cooper: It is for local planning authorities to set appropriate levels of density for housing development in their areas, including in market towns, through the development plan process, having regard to the Government's national policy on housing densities. Current national policy in Planning Policy Guidance note 3 "Housing" was set out in my answer to the hon. Member of 14 October 2005, Official Report, column 613W. Local planning authorities are required to involve their communities in the preparation of, and any proposed changes to, their development plans. The Government intend to publish for consultation a new national policy framework for planning for housing through draft Planning Policy Statement 3 later this year.

Regional Fire Control Centres

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what were the reasons for announcing site locations for the proposed regional fire control centres in advance of (a) completion of and (b) consultation upon the business case for the Fire Control Project; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister did not announce the site locations in advance of consultation on the business case. The FiReControl business case, in accordance with Treasury guidance, is subject to a three stage development process: strategic, outline and full. The first two stages are complete. The project is also subject to the Office of Government Commerce Gateway Review process, which reviews the business case at these stages in order to provide confidence that the investment decision can be taken. In 2004, we consulted fire and rescue authorities on the recommendations of the Mott MacDonald report "The Future of Fire and Rescue Service Control Rooms in England and Wales: Update 2003", on which the strategic business case was based. We also consulted them on the outline business case before the decision was taken to proceed with the accommodation procurement. The outline business case is the key document for the purposes of assessing the strength of the case for the project. The full business case will not be available until we have actual costs for the technology/infrastructure services procurement, and final cost information. It will not be subject to further consultation unless the strength and structure of the arguments change significantly.

Rural Housing

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many houses have been built in rural settlements in the last five years.

Yvette Cooper: New build completions data is only available at local authority level therefore it is not possible to say how many dwellings have been built in rural settlements, only in local authorities that are classified as rural. This will therefore include dwellings built in towns that are inside a local authority classified as rural.
	The annual numbers of new build completions since 2000–01 for English local authorities defined as rural by DEFRA's Rural Definition and Local Authority Classification are in the table:
	
		Dwellings built in local authorities classified as "rural"(28)
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2000–01 60,255 
			 2001–02 60,057 
			 2002–03 62,291 
			 2003–04 60,826 
			 2004–05 61,415 
		
	
	(28) Category 4, 5 and 6 (see below) local authorities are considered to be rural and have been used to produce the data on new build housing completions. There are 178 English local authorities that are in these categories.
	The classification used to define local authorities is as follows:
	1. Major Urban: districts with either 100,000 people or 50 per cent. of their population in urban areas with a population of more than 750,000.
	2. Large Urban: districts with either 50,000 people or 50 per cent. of their population in one of 17 urban areas with a population between 250,000 and 750,000.
	3. Other Urban: districts with fewer than 37,000 people or less than 26 per cent. of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns.
	4. Significant Rural: districts with more than 37,000 people or more than 26 per cent. of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns.
	5. Rural-50: districts with at least 50 per cent. but less than 80 per cent. of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns.
	6. Rural-80: districts with at least 80 per cent. of their population in rural settlements and larger market towns.
	For further information on the classification of local authorities please see following rural definitions web link: http://statistics. defra.gov.uk/esg/rural_resd/rural_definition. asp
	Source:
	P2/NHBC New Build Completions data

Armed Forces Recruitment

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on recruitment in Northern Ireland for the armed forces in each year since 2001.

Don Touhig: The information is not held centrally in the format requested. Nevertheless, the full recruiting costs specific for Northern Ireland for the Naval Service and the RAF in each full year since financial year 2001–02 were as follows:
	
		
			£ million 
			 Financial year Naval Service RAF (29)Army 
		
		
			 2001–02 0.176 0.260 — 
			 2002–03 0.189 0.286 — 
			 2003–04 0.180 0.284 — 
			 2004–05 0.124 0.289 2.907 
		
	
	(29) Prior to FY 2004–05, it is not possible to identify accurately how much was spent on Army recruiting by specific areas.

Gulf War Veterans

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the personal medical records of veterans from Wales of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict have been lost.

Don Touhig: Medical records of members of the armed forces are not held centrally. For those veterans still serving, medical records are normally held locally by Service Medical Officers. For individuals who have left the Services, the normal practice is to offer the records to their GPs for permanent retention. It is not possible, therefore, to estimate the number that may have been lost.
	In October 2001, Ministry of Defence published the paper "Medical Records in the Gulf". This paper describes the arrangements for medical record keeping during the 1990–91 Gulf conflict; discusses a number of reasons why records that were kept may not have been complete, and provides guidance to Gulf veterans on how to obtain their service medical records. A copy of this paper is in the Library of the House and it is available on the MoD's website at: www.gulfwar.mod.uk.

Gulf War Veterans

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the final report on the Porton Down studies into vaccines administered to service men and women during the 1990–91 Gulf conflict to be published.

Don Touhig: Interim results from the main study in our Vaccines Interactions Research Programme, announced in 1 April 2003, Official Report, column 55WS, have been published and show no apparent adverse health consequences following the administration of vaccines and/or pyridostigmine bromide (the active ingredient in Nerve Agent Pre-treatment tablets). Final results are expected to be submitted for peer-reviewed publication this year.

Married Quarters

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 on demand for married quarters.

Don Touhig: It is not possible to identify the number of Service personnel who will elect to enter into a Civil Partnership. However, it is assessed that the numbers will be small and any associated requirement for Service families accommodation would be absorbed within the existing housing management margin.

Territorial Army

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) infantry Territorial Army (TA) privates, (b) infantry TA non-commissioned officers and (c) officers are serving in the Territorial Army.

Don Touhig: As at 1 September 2005 there were approximately 4,110 privates, 2,300 non-commissioned officers (lance corporals and above), and 780 officers serving in the infantry Territorial Army. These figures do not include non regular permanent staff or those serving in the University Officer Training Corps, or on full time reserve service.
	Note:
	Rounding: Where rounding has been used, totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not appear to be the sum of their parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Territorial Army

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) peacetime, (b) wartime and (c) estimated actual strength of the Territorial Army (i) as a total and (ii) broken down by individual corps; and what actual strength of the (A) infantry and (B) yeomanry is.

Don Touhig: I assume that the right hon. Member is referring to the peacetime and wartime establishments of the Territorial Army (TA). The TA does not have separate peacetime or wartime establishments. The current establishment of 41,610 remains at all times. The actual strength of the TA as at 1 September 2005 as a total is 35,560 (including some 1,120 mobilised personnel) and can be found broken down by individual corps, including the Infantry and the Yeomanry (known as the Royal Armoured Corps) in the following table:
	
		
			 Arm/service Strength (including mobilised personnel) 
		
		
			 Staff 90 
			 Royal Armoured Corps 1,270 
			 Royal Artillery 2,170 
			 Royal Engineers 2,430 
			 Royal Signals 3,880 
			 Infantry 7,180 
			 Army Air Corps 110 
			 Royal Army Chaplains Division 60 
			 Royal Logistics Corps 5,800 
			 Royal Army Medical Corps 2,800 
			 Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 2,230 
			 Adjutant Generals Corps (AGC) (Royal Military Police) 300 
			 AGC (Staff and Personnel Support) 920 
			 AGC (Education and Training Support) 20 
			 AGC (Army Legal Service) 10 
			 Royal Army Veterinary Corps 10 
			 Small Arms School Corps (30)— 
			 Royal Army Dentistry Corps 60 
			 Intelligence Corps 480 
			 Army Physical Training Corps (30)— 
			 General List 350 
			 Queen Alexandra's Royal Auxiliary Nursing Corps 1,150 
			 Officer Training Corps 4,090 
			 Unallocated 130 
			 Total 35,560 
		
	
	(30) Zero or rounded to zero.
	Notes:
	1. Where rounding has been used, totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not appear to be the sum of their parts.
	2. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Pensions

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact the changes in pension rules relating to the purchase of commercial property will have on businesses.

Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
	The regulatory impact assessment (RIA) "Simplifying the Taxation of Pensions" published in April 2004 sets out an assessment of the potential impact of the whole pensions simplification package.

Crime

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the level of violent crime in Sussex in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The number of recorded offences of violent crime in Sussex are given in the tables. It is estimated that the effect of the introduction nationally of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) in April 2002 was a 20 per cent. increase in recorded violent crime in its first year.
	
		Table 1: Offences of violent crime recorded in Sussex, 2000–01 and 2001–02
		
			  Number of offences 
		
		
			 2000–01 19,505 
			 2001–02 19,879 
		
	
	Note:
	The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
	
		Table 2: Offences of violent crime recorded in Sussex, 2002–03 to 2004–05
		
			  Number of offences 
		
		
			 2002–03 20,590 
			 2003–04 22,126 
			 2004–05 30,122 
		
	
	Note:
	The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Fixed Penalty Notices

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalty notices for parking violations have been issued in each local authority since 1997.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 31 October 2005
	Available information on fixed penalty notices is by police force area and is given in the table. The information relates to all offences of obstruction, waiting and parking in England and Wales during the calendar years 1997 to 2003 (latest available).
	Information for 2004 will be available early in 2006. Under the Road Traffic Act 1991, Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) powers allow local authorities to take over responsibility for enforcing parking contraventions from police. Data on penalty charge notices (PCNs) from individual local authorities operating Decriminalised Parking Enforcement were first published in the Home Office publication 'Offences relating to motor vehicles, England and Wales 2002 Supplementary tables'. The latest publication 2003 [Table 22(a)—22(b) refers] lists data by local authorities partaking in the scheme, a copy of which is available in the Library. This publication can also be accessed on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics (RDS) website at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm
	
		Fixed penalty data by police force area for obstruction, waiting and parking offences(31)(32) England and Wales 1997–2003 Number of offences
		
			  1997 1998 
			  Endorsable Non-endorsable Endorsable Non-endorsable 
			 Police force area Number of tickets Number of tickets Number of tickets Number of tickets 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 7 58,107 4 52,916 
			 Bedfordshire — 35,469 — 34,592 
			 Cambridgeshire 2 32,499 1 28,779 
			 Cheshire 3 32,257 4 30,182 
			 Cleveland — 21,700 2 22,864 
			 Cumbria 2 20,800 2 23,162 
			 Derbyshire 3 23,870 1 25,998 
			 Devon and Cornwall 4 80,531 2 84,877 
			 Dorset — 40,725 — 32,790 
			 Durham 1 15,040 2 15,912 
			 Essex 10 59,748 9 58,919 
			 Gloucestershire 1 33,417 — 31,067 
			 Greater Manchester 7 166,242 9 141,889 
			 Hampshire 5 70,475 7 66,249 
			 Hertfordshire 2 52,954 3 31,219 
			 Humberside 3 29,027 3 25,990 
			 Kent 11 65,033 5 58,707 
			 Lancashire 19 94,864 8 82,837 
			 Leicestershire 5 53,338 2 49,078 
			 Lincolnshire — 29,067 9 26,641 
			 London, City of — 666 — 1,109 
			 Merseyside 6 98,229 4 97,518 
			 Met Police 90 160,761 98 205,779 
			 Norfolk — 36,350 1 30,754 
			 Northamptonshire — 29,576 — 27,854 
			 Northumbria 7 47,592 3 45,653 
			 North Yorkshire 5 22,127 7 19,970 
			 Nottinghamshire 2 42,021 2 37,004 
			 South Yorkshire 4 28,256 7 30,847 
			 Staffordshire 11 26,445 9 27,459 
			 Suffolk 6 23,037 5 21,753 
			 Surrey 6 25,614 7 25,400 
			 Sussex 13 120,244 7 111,859 
			 Thames Valley 6 77,971 6 76,943 
			 Warwickshire 1 15,550 2 18,020 
			 West Mercia 4 26,221 4 26,138 
			 West Midlands 23 156,251 26 148,944 
			 West Yorkshire 10 69,608 7 63,556 
			 Wiltshire 5 16,025 2 15,452 
			 Dyfed-Powys 4 14,456 4 14,172 
			 Gwent 10 20,874 2 22,114 
			 North Wales 2 21,750 9 19,172 
			 South Wales 4 104,151 4 105,650 
			  
			 England and Wales 304 2,198,938 289 2,117,788 
		
	
	
		Number of offences
		
			  1999 2000 
			  Endorsable Non-endorsable Endorsable Non-endorsable 
			 Police force area Number of tickets Number of tickets Number of tickets Number of tickets 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 7 49,519 1 34,551 
			 Bedfordshire — 5,175 2 3,485 
			 Cambridgeshire — 30,387 1 32,675 
			 Cheshire 3 25,922 3 19,248 
			 Cleveland 1 18,633 — 15,487 
			 Cumbria 2 12,952 3 5,857 
			 Derbyshire — 22,926 — 22,259 
			 Devon and Cornwall 5 77,906 3 77,874 
			 Dorset — 32,708 3 31,256 
			 Durham — 12,140 2 16,082 
			 Essex 5 49,230 6 40,656 
			 Gloucestershire 1 28,467 1 28,527 
			 Greater Manchester 5 78,844 3 71,056 
			 Hampshire 8 50,937 5 31,622 
			 Hertfordshire 2 36,064 3 32,574 
			 Humberside 2 23,910 4 26,594 
			 Kent 5 48,753 12 3,673 
			 Lancashire 15 71,449 6 64,929 
			 Leicestershire 3 45,722 3 37,987 
			 Lincolnshire 2 15,486 2 15,893 
			 London, City of 3 725 — 438 
			 Merseyside 12 86,912 3 61,246 
			 Met Police 41 192,069 27 196,965 
			 Norfolk 1 26,388 2 25,337 
			 Northamptonshire 2 21,272 — 12,874 
			 Northumbria 8 39,865 9 44,687 
			 North Yorkshire 2 20,437 2 13,529 
			 Nottinghamshire — 34,871 2 31,525 
			 South Yorkshire 11 26,694 8 28,940 
			 Staffordshire 4 21,256 5 11,936 
			 Suffolk 1 20,574 2 20,837 
			 Surrey 6 20,544 4 21,431 
			 Sussex 5 101,971 6 119,765 
			 Thames Valley 3 66,454 4 51,917 
			 Warwickshire — 16,749 1 13,801 
			 West Mercia 2 26,688 1 22,736 
			 West Midlands 23 119,867 17 88,137 
			 West Yorkshire 5 60,337 1 61,143 
			 Wiltshire 1 12,896 1 10,210 
			 Dyfed-Powys 6 18,026 2 17,481 
			 Gwent . 20,668 3 19,587 
			 North Wales 3 16,470 36 16,044 
			 South Wales 10 96,564 4 92,306 
			  
			 England and Wales 215 1,805,427 203 1,595,157 
		
	
	
		Number of offences
		
			  2001 2002 
			  Endorsable Non-endorsable Endorsable Non-endorsable 
			 Police force area Number of tickets Number of tickets Number of tickets Number of tickets 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 4 25,827 1 22,481 
			 Bedfordshire — 2,991 — 3,602 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 33,286 — 32,237 
			 Cheshire  17,532 1 15,776 
			 Cleveland 1 10,634 2 15,721 
			 Cumbria — 5,758 3 2,384 
			 Derbyshire — 18,792 2 16,409 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3 59,407 4 59,631 
			 Dorset — 25,500 — 8,034 
			 Durham 1 12,521 1 12,499 
			 Essex 1 29,772 1 23,534 
			 Gloucestershire — 26,500 — 26,411 
			 Greater Manchester 2 43,381 3 34,820 
			 Hampshire 9 40,015 4 22,695 
			 Hertfordshire 3 32,709 — 27,054 
			 Humberside 3 25,701 2 26,504 
			 Kent 10 1,702 4 1,086 
			 Lancashire 6 55,992 4 47,729 
			 Leicestershire 3 39,885 3 41,651 
			 Lincolnshire — 15,725 — 16,659 
			 London, City of 2 511 — 741 
			 Merseyside 4 49,967 3 35,989 
			 Met Police 21 141,776 18 141,950 
			 Norfolk — 23,880 3 10,135 
			 Northamptonshire — 7,988 — 4,457 
			 Northumbria 24 57,780 15 48,670 
			 North Yorkshire — 14,435 1 9,435 
			 Nottinghamshire — 24,515 — 13,387 
			 South Yorkshire 6 30,360 6 29,356 
			 Staffordshire 7 9,154 1 7,275 
			 Suffolk — 18,953 1 20,439 
			 Surrey 1 22,961 4 25,040 
			 Sussex 5 71,966 1 47,515 
			 Thames Valley 5 37,409 6 34,605 
			 Warwickshire — 15,355 — 16,556 
			 West Mercia 4 17,104 2 17,382 
			 West Midlands 18 64,030 10 46,436 
			 West Yorkshire 3 55,300 5 55,977 
			 Wiltshire 1 7,450 — 8,395 
			 Dyfed-Powys 3 13,860 7 17,074 
			 Gwent — 17,765 — 19,041 
			 North Wales 19 13,108 3 10,581 
			 South Wales 6 85,616 4 87,528 
			  
			 England and Wales 176 1,324,873 125 1,164,881 
		
	
	
		Number of offences
		
			  2003 
			  Endorsable Non-endorsable 
			 Police force area Number of tickets Number of tickets 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 14 17,638 
			 Bedfordshire — 2,235 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 22,459 
			 Cheshire 1 15,938 
			 Cleveland — 8,522 
			 Cumbria 2 1,814 
			 Derbyshire 2 15,779 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2 57,699 
			 Dorset — 635 
			 Durham — 5,668 
			 Essex 4 9,953 
			 Gloucestershire 1 27,703 
			 Greater Manchester — 27.964 
			 Hampshire 8 18,384 
			 Hertfordshire 1 9,216 
			 Humberside 1 25,503 
			 Kent 6 979 
			 Lancashire 8 31,771 
			 Leicestershire 1 31,023 
			 Lincolnshire — 18,563 
			 London, City of 3 67a 
			 Merseyside 2 17,600 
			 Met Police 26 209,195 
			 Norfolk — 9,532 
			 Northamptonshire — 3,701 
			 Northumbria 21 30,418 
			 North Yorkshire — 5,670 
			 Nottinghamshire 1 6,634 
			 South Yorkshire 7 27,549 
			 Staffordshire 1 8,410 
			 Suffolk 14 20,183 
			 Surrey 5 16,125 
			 Sussex 2 46,181 
			 Thames Valley 4 24,781 
			 Warwickshire — 14,041 
			 West Mercia 3 12,451 
			 West Midlands 15 53,118 
			 West Yorkshire 2 54,176 
			 Wiltshire — 5,618 
			 Dyfed-Powys 3 13,777 
			 Gwent 1 19,713 
			 North Wales 1 12,271 
			 South Wales 7 81,568 
			
			 England and Wales 170 1,042,836 
		
	
	(31) Offences under the Road Traffic Act 1988 s.22; Transport Act 2000 as 173(5); 173(6); 173(7); 174(3); 175(2); 175(3); 175(4); 190 Highway Act 1835 ss. 72 and 78; RTA 1988 ss. 19 and 21; Highways Act 1980 s. 133(1); Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 ss. 5(1), 8, 32–36 and 45–53; Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 Regs. 101 and 103; Transport Act 2000 Part III; Metropolitan Police Act 1839 s. 54 (1)
	(32) Does not include Decriminalised Parking Enforcements (DPE).

Historical Sex Abuse Cases

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he takes to ensure that the agencies involved in historical sex abuse investigations provide sufficient training to their staff.

Hazel Blears: The Association of Chief Police Officer's (ACPO) Rape Working Group is currently commissioning the National Centre for Policing Excellence (a business unit of Centrex), to develop a national police training and development programme.
	ACPO has also commissioned Centrex and NCPE to produce a national Investigating Child Abuse and Safeguarding Children (Learning and Development) Programme. The specialist child abuse investigator element of this programme will be launched in December 2005.
	The investigation of historic/institutional child abuse guidance—"The Senior Investigating Officer's Handbook"—is guidance produced by ACPO, after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service and the Department of Health. The Government have also produced guidance, "Complex Child Abuse Investigations: Inter-Agency Issues", which can be found on the Home Office website.

Metropolitan Police

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he had with the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police prior to his statement that command of the British Transport Police would transfer to the Metropolitan Police in the run-up to the Olympics; and for what reasons this information has not previously been communicated to Parliament.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 28 October 2005
	My right hon. friend the Home Secretary and the Metropolitan Police commissioner discussed the issue of police force structures at a recent bilateral meeting.
	Responsibility for the British Transport Police falls to the Secretary of State for Transport rather than the Home Department. The Secretary of State for Transport announced to Parliament on 11 October that he would be reviewing the role of the British Transport Police. The review will:
	"examine the functions of the British Transport Police and whether some or all of these are best carried out by a national force, regional forces or, indeed, by the industry itself."
	The terms of reference of the review are available in the House Library. Any decisions on the future of the British Transport Police would need to await the outcome of the review.

Multi-agency Public Protection

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the principal offences committed by those persons covered by the multi-agency public protection arrangements are.

Fiona Mactaggart: The type of offence committed by each offender is not recorded centrally. The multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) are aimed at relevant sexual or violent offenders and other persons, who, by reason of offences committed by them (wherever committed), are considered to be persons who may cause serious harm to the public. The term "relevant sexual or violent offender" is defined in section 327 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 and includes all serious sexual and violent offenders.

National Alcohol Strategy

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice his Department has given to key agencies on local delivery of the National Alcohol Strategy.

Hazel Blears: The Home Office has focused on the reduction of alcohol-related crime and disorder by working closely with other key Government Departments. Much of the strategy has been focused on implementation at a local level. We have worked with the police on the Tackling Violent Crime Programme (TVCP) and two national Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaigns (AMEC).
	These programmes targeted enforcement activity and partnership working in particular regions. We are also working closely with ODPM and their "How to" programme which is relevant to the development of the night-time economy, as part of the delivery of the cleaner, safer, greener communities initiative. We lead the Alcohol Harm Reduction Programme jointly with the Department of Health, which has completed a national audit of available alcohol services and is developing a programme of improvements that will be implemented at a local level through primary care trusts.

People Trafficking

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether West Midlands police have received specialised training in dealing with trafficking and trafficked women as specified in the Home Office toolkit.

Hazel Blears: The toolkit on Trafficking of People provides generic information and practical advice to help front-line police, immigration officers and other professionals and agencies to identify promptly and accurately those who may be victims of trafficking and to deal with them appropriately. The toolkit is divided into easily accessible sections, not all of which will be relevant to all agencies, and is intended as an additional resource to support local operations. The type and level of training on human trafficking provided to police officers is a matter for individual police services.

Railway Staff

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) of 19 October 2005, Official Report, column 1080W, on railway staff, if he will define the nature of detection rates, with particular reference to what is being detected.

Derek Twigg: I have been asked to reply.
	The Home Office Counting Rules manual for Recorded Crime defines a crime as detected if:
	1. A person has been charged or summonsed for the crime.
	2. The offender (adult) has been cautioned by the police or (if a juvenile) issued with a final warning or reprimand.
	3. The offender admits the crime and asks for it to be taken into consideration by the court.
	4. No further action has been taken by the police, which usually occurs if the offender is dead or severely ill or when an essential witness or victim is permanently ill.
	The "detection rate" is calculated by dividing the number of detected crimes by the number of recorded crimes and multiplying by 100 to obtain a percentage.
	A railway staff assault is any incident where, in circumstances related to their work, a member of staff is assaulted, threatened or abused, thereby affecting their health, safety or welfare.

Rape

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of reported rape cases in (a) England and Wales, (b) the Tees Valley and (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland have involved the drug Ketamine.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Democracy Promotion

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of the UK Government in promoting democracy around the world.

Ian Pearson: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has said, "promoting democracy has to be at the heart of our foreign policy". We actively support the development of democratic institutions around the world so that all people should have Governments which are effective, accountable and representative.

Democratic Republic of Congo

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ian Pearson: The security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has improved since 2004, but areas of instability remain, particularly in the east. In Ituri and the Kivus, the security situation remains fragile, with civilians continuing to suffer abuses by armed groups.
	Despite the UN Peacekeeping Mission (MONUC)'s operations to disarm Ituri militias and to disrupt the activities of the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), these militia groups continue to persecute civilians. We continue to support MONUC's robust approach to protecting civilians and tackling armed groups in Ituri, which they should replicate in the Kivus. We have urged regional governments to work together to disarm these groups.

Departmental Energy Consumption

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much energy has been consumed by his Department in each of the last five years; and how much was spent on energy in each year.

Jack Straw: The energy consumption in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) UK estate (including Wilton Park) in the last five years is:
	
		kWh
		
			  Energy consumption 
		
		
			 2000–01 33,331,523.00 
			 2001–02 29,899,666.67 
			 2002–03 31,025,558.60 
			 2003–04 32,555,363.00 
			 2004–05 32,835,032.00 
		
	
	The cost of energy consumed in the FCO UK estate (including Wilton Park) in the last five years is:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Energy consumed 
		
		
			 2000–01 1,722,755.70 
			 2001–02 1,747,318.10 
			 2002–03 1,526,771.65 
			 2003–04 1,590,500.74 
			 2004–05 1,809,317.95 
		
	
	The FCO has recently committed to a series of projects, valued at approximately £250,000, designed to make the estate more energy efficient. This will reduce energy consumption from 2006–07, and reduce expenditure on energy in real terms. Effective payback for the project is expected within three years.
	The overseas estate figures have been excluded as the estate is extremely diverse and widespread. As a consequence collating such information could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.

Cancer Treatment

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding the Government have allocated to research into the mental health problems suffered by cancer patients as a result of cancer treatments in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not available.
	The main part of the Department's expenditure on health research is allocated to and managed by national health service organisations. These organisations account for their use of the allocations they receive from the Department in an annual research and development report. The reports identify total, aggregated expenditure on national priority areas, including cancer. Details of individual projects supported in the NHS can be found on the national research register at www.dh.gov.uk/research.
	The Department has funded a number of cancer research studies in which a quality of life assessment forms an integral part. These include a current, £180,000 project entitled, "Mental health needs in patients with advanced cancer—implications for primary health care Teams". Details of the other projects can be found on the international cancer research portfolio database on www.cancerportfolio.org.

Child Vaccinations

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the take-up rate of child vaccinations is; and what assessment she has made of the factors which lead some parents not to have children vaccinated.

Caroline Flint: Information about the uptake of childhood immunisations is published annually in the national health service statistical bulletins. The latest bulletin, "NHS Immunisation Statistics, England: 2004–05", is available in the Library and on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsStatistics/PublicationsStatisticsArticle/fs/en? CONTENT_ID=4119649&chk=r6rlW4
	Quarterly figures on uptake of childhood immunisations are published routinely and available on the Health Protection Agency website at:
	http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/vaccination/cover_sha.htm
	The most recent quarterly figures are for the period April to June 2005.
	Since 1991, the Department has commissioned a twice yearly survey to understand parents' knowledge of immunisation, attitudes towards immunisation and experience of immunisation services. Since the start of the survey more than 25,000 parents—mostly mothers—have been questioned and their responses fed back into the programme. Our results suggest that mothers are more strongly influenced by the perceived risk of a vaccine, rather than assessing the overall risks/benefits of vaccinating or not vaccinating their child. This is be because mothers are no longer aware of the risk from the diseases that vaccination protects against.

Chronic Conditions

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in improving services for those with chronic conditions.

Liam Byrne: "Supporting People with Long Term Conditions—an NHS and Social Care Model", was published in January 2005. Since this publication primary care trusts, supported by strategic health authorities, are working in partnership with local authorities to develop robust improvement plans for taking this forward, with an initial focus on implementing the case management approach to care.

Dentistry

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what percentage of the population was registered with an NHS dentist in (a) England, (b) Lancashire and (c) Lancaster and Wyre in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many patients have been registered with an NHS dentist in Lancaster and Wyre constituency in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the percentage of the population in England and Lancashire registered with a national health service dentist is shown in table 1.
	Population data is not available by constituency area, but dental registration figures for Lancashire and Wyre are shown in table 2.
	
		Table 1: Percentage of population registered with a NHS dentists in England, Cumbria and Lancashire strategic health authority (SHA) and primary care trusts (PCTs) as at 30 September in each year
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004(34) 2005(34)(35) 
		
		
			 England 56 49 49 50 49 49 49 48 48 
			 Of which:  
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 55 50 51 51 50 50 49 49 48 
			 Blackburn with Darwen PCT 60 52 55 55 54 54 52 50 45 
			 Blackpool PCT 61 53 55 55 55 54 52 51 51 
			 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT 58 52 52 50 40 39 40 43 41 
			 Carlisle and District PCT 57 57 54 56 58 56 54 56 55 
			 Chorley and South Ribble PCT 46 42 44 45 46 48 47 50 51 
			 Eden Valley PCT 51 44 42 40 40 38 42 35 37 
			 Fylde PCT 64 58 60 60 57 58 57 69 70 
			 Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT 51 44 45 44 43 41 42 37 28 
			 Morecambe Bay PCT 55 50 51 52 52 52 50 48 48 
			 Preston PCT 58 53 52 51 47 47 47 48 51 
			 West Cumbria PCT 52 49 54 56 56 57 54 48 50 
			 West Lancashire PCT 51 45 46 48 46 48 49 51 56 
			 Wyre PCT 62 57 58 60 63 62 62 63 57 
		
	
	(34) 2004 and 2005 data includes general dental service and personal dental service (PDS) registrations/PDS patients seen (counts patients seen in the past 15 months for some PDS schemes).
	(35) 2005 data per population has been calculated on 2003 population data, as this is the most up to date available.
	Note:
	For 1997–2000, population has been calculated on 2001 population data, as this is the only population data available.
	Source:
	Dental Practice Board and Health and Social Care Information Centre.
	
		Table 2: Number of patients registered in Lancaster and Wyre constituency as at 30 September 1997 to 2005
		
			  Number of patients registered 
		
		
			 1997 69,806 
			 1998 65,986 
			 1999 65,061 
			 2000 65,133 
			 2001 61,082 
			 2002 58,430 
			 2003 57,631 
			 2004 56,873 
			 2005 58,426

Dentistry

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists were practising in (a) Lancaster and Wyre constituency and (b) England per head of population in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the number of national health service dentists practising in Lancaster and Wyre and in England. Population data are not available by parliamentary constituency, but the table includes comparable information on NHS dentists by head of population for Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and for England.
	
		General dental services (GDS) and personal dental services (PDS)—number of dentists and dentists per population in England and the specified areas as at 30 September each year Number of dentists
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 England 16,815 17,338 17,863 18,241 
			  
			 Lancaster and Wyre constituency 45 45 46 43 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 651 671 682 669 
		
	
	
		Number of dentists
		
			  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 England 18,758 18,979 19,295 19,754 20,857 
			   
			 Lancaster and Wyre constituency 44 46 43 45 54 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 693 684 690 726 791 
		
	
	
		Dentists per population
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 England 2,894 2,816 2,745 2,699 
			  
			 Lancaster and Wyre constituency n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 2,918 2,834 2,784 2,843 
		
	
	
		Dentists per population
		
			  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 England 2,636 2,616 2,584 2,536 2,402 
			   
			 Lancaster and Wyre constituency n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 2,749 2,793 2,781 2,658 2,440 
		
	
	n/a=not available—population data at constituency area are not available.
	Notes:
	1. The dentists include principals, assistants and trainees. Prison contracts are excluded from the data.
	2. The postcode of the dental practice was used to allocate dentists to specific geographic areas. Parliamentary constituency areas have been defined using the Office for National Statistics all fields postcode directory.
	3. 2005 data per population have been calculated using 2004 population data, as these are the most up to date available.

Electroconvulsive Therapy

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued to doctors relating to who should (a) administer and (b) receive electroconvulsive therapy in hospitals; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: In September 1998, the Chief Medical Officer and the President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists wrote to the chief executives of national health service trusts and consultant psychiatrists respectively indicating the need to consider and improve standards of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) administration in relation to ongoing developments in clinical governance.
	In May 2003, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidance to the NHS in England and Wales on the use of ECT.
	In June 2005, the Royal College of Psychiatrists' special committee on ECT published "The ECT Handbook (Second Edition)—The Third Report of the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Special Committee on ECT", which gives the latest clinical guidelines for psychiatrists who prescribe electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and practitioners who administer it.
	Services continue to monitor the quality and safety of ECT. ECT is a regular part of clinical governance.

Emergency Response Services

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many emergency calls were received by each call centre in each ambulance trust in England in the latest year for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: The number of calls received by each ambulance control room is not collected centrally as some trusts have more than one control room. However, the number of calls received by each ambulance trust is available. This data are published in table three of the statistical bulletin, "Ambulance Services, England: 2004–05", copies of which are available in the Library. This publication is also available on the Department's website at: www.dh.gov.uk.

Family Planning Clinics

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many family planning clinics there were in each year since 1983; and how many women were seen by them in each year.

Caroline Flint: The information that is currently received by the Department is collated at family planning service provider level rather than by individual family planning clinics. In 2004–05, information was submitted by 175 service providers (primary care trusts and national health service trusts) and 14 Brook Advisory Centres, covering the whole of family planning service provision in England.
	The number of different women seen each year by NHS family planning clinics and Brook Advisory Centres is published in table two of the statistical bulletin "NHS Contraceptive Services, England", copies of which are available in the Library and on the Health and Social Care Information Centre's website at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/contraceng2005. The most recent data are in the 2004–05 edition and the 2000–01 edition has data back to 1983.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) strategic health authorities and (b) primary care trusts (PCTs) have influenza pandemic co-ordinators; and how many PCTs have an influenza planning committee.

Caroline Flint: As stated in the "UK Influenza Contingency Plan", individual strategic health authorities and primary care trusts are responsible for nominating influenza pandemic coordinators and this information is not collated centrally.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued to general practitioners on steps they should take to prioritise care in the event of an avian influenza pandemic.

Caroline Flint: The "UK Pandemic Influenza Contingent Plan" provides advice to the national health service and others on the potential impact that a flu pandemic may have on the United Kingdom, and the need for the NHS to develop plans to manage during such an eventuality.
	We are in the process of sending information packs to general practitioners regarding preparations for an influenza pandemic. As outlined in the plan, primary care trusts are responsible for developing plans that take into account local needs. We have published "Operational Guidance for Health Service Planners" to help them do this effectively.

School Nurses

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to recruit school nurses.

Liam Byrne: The Department is committed to providing new funding so that by 2010, every primary care trust, working with children's trusts and local authorities, will be resourced to have at least one full-time, year-round, qualified school nurse working with each cluster or group of primary schools and the related secondary school.
	The Department understands that school nurses have an important and central role to play in tackling health issues among children and younger people, such as obesity, exercise, smoking prevention and cessation and sexual and emotional health.
	The Chief Nursing Officer is leading the development and promotion of a new modern role for school nurses and many school nurses are already modernising their roles and playing a key role in initiatives such as "Healthy Schools" and preventing teenage pregnancy. The NHS improvement plan and the nursing strategy, "Making a Difference", also point towards an expanded role for school nurses, and a three-year school nurse development programme is currently being updated to ensure school nurses remain a dynamic workforce who are able to contribute to good outcomes for children and young people.

Child Benefit (Hemel Hempstead)

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the constituency of Hemel Hempstead have received child benefit in each year since 1997.

John Healey: Figures below the geographical level of Great Britain are not available for periods prior to August 1999.
	Figures for August 1999 to August 2004 are available on the Office for National Statistics Neighbourhood Statistics website: http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemina tion/datasetList.do?JSAIIowed=&Function=&%24ph= 60&CurrentPageld=60&step=1 &CurrentTreeIndex=-1&searchString=&datasetFamilyld=215&Next.x=4&Ne xt.v=13

Civil Service Jobs

Ian Gibson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the merits of movement of civil service jobs to Norwich; and what criteria will be used to make decisions about relocation.

Des Browne: The Government are committed to relocating 20,000 civil servants out of London and the south east by 2010. Budget 2005 reported that over 4,300 posts have already been moved out of London and the south east. 11 Office of Government Commerce and HM Treasury posts and 12 HMSO posts are currently known to be relocating to Norwich. Individual Departments are responsible for deciding on sites for relocation, but they must do so taking into account both their business needs and local economic factors, as set out in central guidance, "Choosing Locations for Government Business".
	As part of this policy the Government have set a presumption against relocating public sector activities to the east of England Government office region. Moves to the east of England that had not been planned before the introduction of this policy in December 2004 require HM Treasury approval.

Company Tax Credits

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of each company tax credit in each year from 2004–05 to 2009–10; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The estimated cost of research and development tax credits, vaccines research relief and the remediation of contaminated land are given in the table.
	
		
			£ million 
			  Research and development tax credits Vaccines research relief Remediation of contaminated land 
		
		
			 2004–05 680 20 20 
			 2005–06 710 20 20 
			 2006–07 770 20 20 
			 2007–08 800 20 30 
			 2008–09 850 20 30 
			 2009–10 900 20 30 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are on a receipts basis and rounded to the nearest 10 million.

Court of Auditors

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage the European Commission (a) to improve budget accountability and (b) to enable the EU Court of Auditors to approve the annual accounts.

Ivan Lewis: The United Kingdom presidency has prepared draft conclusions to be agreed at ECOFIN in November, in response to the Commission's Communication "On a Roadmap to an Integrated Internal Control Framework". The conclusions will require the Commission to prepare an action plan to fill gaps in internal control; to assess compliance with regulations; and to assess the effectiveness of present controls. These actions, in addition to those proposed for member states, should improve financial management and control and ultimately achieve the objective of a positive Statement of Assurance from the European Court of Auditors. But this will take time.

Court of Auditors

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of progress in reforming EU budget procedures towards enabling the accounts to be signed off by the EU Court of Auditors.

Ivan Lewis: Many improvements have been made during the past few years, including the revision of the Financial Regulation, the introduction of the Integrated Administration and Control System in Agriculture, the annual certification of payments in agriculture by member states, and the annual activity reports by Commission Directorate-Generals, which include declarations of assurance. But there is still much more to do and that is why the United Kingdom presidency has taken forward the response to the Commission's Communication "On a Roadmap to an Integrated Internal Control Framework" by preparing draft conclusions for the November ECOFIN Council, outlining actions which could ultimately achieve the objective of a positive Statement of Assurance from the European Court of Auditors.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many full-time equivalent employee reductions have been made as a result of the Gershon review; what (a) cost savings relating to IT projects and (b) total value of efficiency savings (i) were achieved in 2004–05 and (ii) are expected to be achieved in 2005–06; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: In Budget 2005 the Chancellor reported that Departments have delivered the first 12,500 reduction in civil service posts and achieved £2 billion of efficiency gains in 2004–05, and Departments will be reporting further progress in their Autumn Performance Reports.
	It is expected that by 2007–08, Departments will be achieving annual efficiency gains of £21 billion, but there is no intermediate target for 2005–06. The Transactions Workstream of the Efficiency Programme, which is improving interactions between citizens and the Government through IT-enabled change programmes, will contribute annual efficiencies of £1 billion by 2007–08. Many other efficiency gains will also be enabled by IT. Departmental plans to achieve the 2004 Spending Review targets are set out in "Efficiency Technical Notes", which are available on departmental and HM Treasury websites.

International Finance Facility

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the implications for public finances of counting the International Finance Facility as Government borrowing; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Treasury will formally approach the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on the classification in National Accounts of UK contributions to an International Finance Facility (IFF) when its final technical details and governance structure have been agreed.
	In the case of the pilot IFF for Immunisation (IFFIM), Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, decided on 2 August that:
	"The borrowing of IFFIM should be considered as the borrowing of a non-government unit, and not as the borrowing or debt of donor countries"

Child Care

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places were available in each of the past 30 years.

Beverley Hughes: We are unable to provide figures for the period requested other than at disproportionate cost. Details of the number of child care places available in England for each year between 1990 and 2005 are given as follows.
	(a) Figures from day care facilities surveys, 1990–2001
	
		
			  Total number of child care places Childminders Full day care Out of school/holiday clubs Sessional care 
		
		
			 1989–90 303,100 205,600 97,500 No figures 416,400 
			 1990–91 339,400 233,300 106,100 No figures 428,400 
			 1991–92 390,900 254,300 116,800 19,800 414,500 
			 1992–93 469,533 300,700 133,800 35,033 396,900 
			 1993–94 549,300 357,500 147,600 44,200 411,300 
			 1994–95 614,000 373,600 161,500 78,900 410,600 
			 1995–96 646,467 376,200 178,300 91,967 397,700 
			 1996–97 654,900 365,200 193,800 95,900 383,700 
			 1997–98 709,967 370,700 223,000 116,267 383,600 
			 1998–99 767,233 336,600 247,700 182,933 347,200 
			 1999–2000 794,967 320,400 264,200 210,367 353,100 
			 2000–01 838,800 304,600 285,100 249,100 330,200 
		
	
	(b) Using data from
	i. 1997–2003: "Ofsted registered" equivalent statistics generated by Sure Start Unit from local authority returns
	ii. 2003—present: Ofsted registrations
	
		
			  Total child care places Childminders Full daycare Out of school/holiday clubs Sessional care 
		
		
			 1996–97 637730 309,973 283,975 43,782 — 
			 1997–98 643,736 309,918 283,823 48,995 — 
			 1998–99 688,412 309,423 299,078 79,911 — 
			 1999–2000 746,719 304,926 316,021 125,772 — 
			 2000–01 821,537 300,263 337,004 184,270 — 
			 2001–02 892,726 307,485 358,371 226,870 — 
			 2002–03 967,821 300,883 381,550 285,388 280,779 
			 2003–04 1,102,686 319,689 456,298 326,699 274,135 
			 2004–05 1,175,275 316,089 517,975 341,211 249,647 
		
	
	The apparent discrepancies between the two data sets during the period 1996–97 to 2000–01 reflect different data collection methodologies. For instance, the Daycare Facilities Survey (DCFS) treats Out of School/Holiday Club places in a different manner to the Ofsted/LA figures. The DCFS counted a Holiday Club place that is available during each school holiday as three places (one at Easter, one in the summer, and one at Christmas) whereas the Ofsted/LA figures would consider it as just one place. The DCFS childminder places count methodology itself underwent major revision between 1991–92 and 1992–93, which explains the sudden leap in the figures there.
	Since 2003 the Sure Start, Extended Schools and Families Group has used quarterly registration data from Ofsted to measure the stock of, and fluctuations in, childcare place. Prior to that figures were generated from comparable data included within local authorities' annual returns to the Early Years and Childcare Unit (now part of the Sure Start, Extended Schools and Families Group). These administrative data figures have less statistical validity than the Daycare Facilities Survey, which were published as National Statistics.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students in Oxfordshire were in receipt of education maintenance allowance (a) in total and (b) at the rate of (i) £30, (ii) £20 and (iii) £10 per week in the last year for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council, who operate Education Maintenance Allowances for the DfES and hold the information about take-up of the scheme. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
	Letter from Mark Haysom to Mr. Andrew Smith, dated 25 October 2005
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question that asked "how many students in Oxfordshire were in receipt of education maintenance allowance (a) in total, (b) as the rate of (i) @30, (ii) @20 and (iii) @10 per week in the last year for which figures are available."
	During Academic Year 2004/05 the number of young people who had received one or more EMA payments in Oxfordshire Local Authority area was 1,410.
	EMA is awarded in three defined payment bands of £30, £20 and £10, depending on household income. In Oxfordshire Local Authority area the take-up of EMA by payment band is split as follows: 72% on £30 per week, 13% on £20 per week and 15% on £10 per week.
	I hope this information is helpful and addresses your question. If you would like further details please contact Chris Bradley at the LSC National Office on 0114 207 4512 or christopher.brad ley@lsc.gov.uk

Education (Kingston and Surbiton)

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Kingston and Surbiton constituency attended nursery in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and how many children in Kingston and Surbiton have taken up free nursery places since the policy was introduced.

Beverley Hughes: All four-year-olds have been entitled to a free early education place since 1998 and from April 2004 this entitlement was extended to all three-year-olds. The free entitlement consists of a minimum of five two and a half hour sessions per week for 33 weeks of the year for six terms before statutory school age, which is the term following their fifth birthday.
	Some local authorities may additionally offer subsidised child care places but this information is not collected centrally.
	Figures for January 2005 show that all four-year-old children receive some form of free entitlement. The figure for three-year-olds is 96 per cent. This covers all maintained, private, voluntary and independent providers and represents 535,100 three-year-olds and 568,300 four-year-olds.
	The available information on the number of free nursery education places taken up by three and four-year-olds in Kingston and Surbiton parliamentary constituency area and Kingston upon Thames local authority is shown in the tables.
	For 2005, information for private and voluntary providers is available for Kingston upon Thames but not currently available for Kingston and Surbiton constituency.
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 43/2005 "Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2005 (final)" in September, which is available on my Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/
	
		Number of free nursery education places(41) taken up by three and four-year-olds Parliamentary constituency: Kingston and Surbiton 
		
			  3-year-olds 4-year-olds 
			 Position in January each year Maintained nursery and primary schools(42) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total 3-year-olds Maintained nursery and primary schools(43) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total 4-year-olds 
		
		
			 2004 550 280 800 820 170 1,000 
			 2005 560 n/a 900 790 n/a 1,000 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	(41) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate.
	2 Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	3 Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	Notes:
	1. Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	2. Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	
		Number of free nursery education places(42) taken up by three and four-year-oldsLocal authority: Kingston upon Thames 
		
			  3-year-olds 4-year-olds 
			 Position in January each year Maintained nursery and primary schools(43) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total 3-year-olds Maintained nursery and primary schools(44) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total 4-year-olds 
		
		
			 1997 890 n/a 890 n/a n/a (45)1,600 
			 1998 890 n/a 890 n/a n/a (45)1,600 
			 1999 890 n/a 890 n/a n/a (45)1,700 
			 2000 940 (46)0 900 n/a n/a (45)1,400 
			 2001 910 (46)170 1,100 n/a n/a (45)1,700 
			 2002 950 (46)200 1,100 1,400 (45)270 1,600 
			 2003 890 (46)400 1,300 1,400 (47)240 1,700 
			 2004 890 (48)390 1,300 1,400 (49)260 1,600 
			 2005 910 (48)520 1,400 1,300 (49)230 1,600 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	(42) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate.
	2 Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(43) Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	4 Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(44) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(45) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(46) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(47) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	Changes in pupil figures may arise from changes to the underlying population in the local authority area and other factors. However, my Department do not publish population figures for individual age cohorts at sub-national level because of the unreliability of the underlying population estimates. The Office for National Statistics publish sub-national population estimates in five-year age bands.

Lifelong Learning

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps her Department takes to promote lifelong learning among teachers.

Phil Hope: Our recent White Paper "Higher Standards, Better Schools for All" set out our plans for a "new professionalism" for teachers, in which career progression and financial rewards will go to those who make the biggest impact on pupil progress and who show commitment to their own professional development and that of their colleagues. A thorough reform of all teachers' professional standards, with more stretch at every level, will set out what can be expected of teachers at each stage in their career. Existing teacher appraisals will be replaced by teaching and learning reviews, which will help focus teachers on effective classroom practice and ensure that they are involved in effective professional development and, where this is appropriate, contributing to the professional development of others.

Special Educational Needs

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the training requirements of the education workforce to equip them with the skills needed to improve attainment among pupils with special educational needs; and what estimate she has made of the costs of such a programme.

Maria Eagle: The National Standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), and the Induction Standards for Newly Qualified Teachers, both cover special educational needs (SEN).
	In order to be awarded QTS, trainee teachers must demonstrate that they understand their responsibilities under the statutory SEN Code of Practice, know how to seek advice from specialists on less common types of SEN, can differentiate their teaching to meet the needs of pupils, including those with SEN, and can identify and support pupils who experience behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.
	Induction standards require newly qualified teachers to demonstrate that they can plan effectively to meet the needs of pupils in their classes with SEN, with or without a statement and, in consultation with the SEN co-ordinator, can contribute to the preparation and implementation of individual education plans or the equivalent.
	Once qualified, all teachers are expected to identify their development needs through performance management arrangements, and to address identified needs by undertaking appropriate professional development. This includes strengthening SEN knowledge.
	All schools receive a school development grant which they are able to use to support improvements in any aspect of teaching and learning. Local authorities may retain a proportion of this grant, under certain conditions, to provide specific training and development of SEN.
	The Department's published SEN Strategy, "Removing Barriers to Achievement" recognised the importance of training and committed us to work closely with the Training and Development Agency for Schools to ensure that initial teacher training and programmes of continuing professional development provide a good grounding in core skills and knowledge of SEN. We have commissioned the TDA to carry forward a range of initiatives designed to improve and strengthen the SEN skills and confidence of trainees, newly qualified and established teachers. These initiatives will be implemented over the period 2005–08 at a cost of approximately £1.1 million.
	Support staff, including teaching assistants, also play an important role in schools, often working closely with pupils with SEN and disabilities. In recognition of this, the TDA also now has responsibility for support staff training and development. The National Occupational Standards for Teaching/Classroom Assistants contains elements relevant to working with pupils with SEN or particular educational needs. The TDA will be reviewing these standards as part of its new responsibilities. Induction training materials on SEN for teaching assistants working in both primary and secondary schools are available, as is introductory training for other support staff, which contains a discrete module covering inclusion, SEN and disabilities. The standards for higher level teaching assistants (HLTAs), for which the IDA is also responsible, require HLTAs to know the legal definition of SEN and be familiar with guidance about meeting SEN given in the SEN code of practice. HLTAs also promote and support the inclusion of all pupils in learning activities.

University Admissions

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the recent proposals from the Secondary Heads Association regarding post-qualification university applications; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: A commission of the Secondary Heads Association (SHA) published a report in November 2004 that found the reasons for a system of post-qualification applications to higher education "overwhelming". That report was a timely one, coming just as Sir Alan Wilson was beginning his work to consider how a post-qualification application system might be implemented. Three members of the SHA group that had prepared that report sat on Sir Alan's national Consultation Group that was prominent in helping to develop the present proposals for reform. Sir Alan's report, which forms the current consultation document, acknowledges fully the SHA work and adopts some of its rationale for post-qualification applications and in particular the practical concept of the two-stage approach which is described in detail in the consultation document.

Common Fisheries Policy

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, with particular reference to the implications for Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) was introduced on 1 January 2003, following extensive consultation with stakeholders across Europe.
	The Government's plans for further reform of the CFP are set out in "Securing the Benefits", the joint UK response to the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report on the future of the fishing industry in the UK. This sets out our priorities to:
	Ensure effective integration of the new Regional Advisory Councils into the policy development and decision making process
	Examine ways of improving the governance of the CFP
	Improve and simplify the regulatory environment
	Tackle the issue of discarding through pilot projects.
	The North Western Waters Regional Advisory Council was launched on 30 September 2005. Northern Ireland stakeholders are represented on the Executive Committee and the Irish Sea sub-group.
	A discussion of how to improve the annual fisheries decision making process was held at the meeting of the Council of Fisheries Ministers in Luxembourg on 24 October. This focused on possible changes to the fishing year to allow more time for consideration of Commission proposals for fishing quotas which are normally published in December, and on ways of bringing forward discussion on related issues. The Commission is working on an Action Plan for simplification of the CFP which is on the agenda for the December meeting of the Fisheries Council.
	Northern Ireland officials and stakeholders have been involved in the various groups that played a key role in drawing up Securing the Benefits, and will be involved in on-going follow-up work, including simplification, regulation, and environmental issues.

Minimum Wage

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact on employment levels of the recent minimum wage increase, with particular reference to small and medium businesses in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The latest available assessment is the Low Pay Commission's "The Impact of the National Minimum Wage" (February 2005). The Low Pay Commission (LPC) is the statutory body whose role is to advise and make recommendations to the Government on the national minimum wage (NMW). The LPC report states that the NMW has had no significant adverse effects on business and employment creation. However, the report notes that the NMW is likely to have the most impact in those regions with the highest proportions of low paid employment, namely the North East, the East Midlands, Wales and Northern Ireland.
	When the minimum wage was first introduced there was concern that it would lead to an increase in the level and rate of unemployment. These fears have not materialised at either a national or regional level. Since the introduction of the NMW in 1999, Northern Ireland's unemployment rate has fallen from 7.5 per cent. and is currently 4.6 per cent. (UK = 4.7 per cent.). Furthermore, it is encouraging to note that since the NMW was introduced in 1999, the growth in Northern Ireland employment (10.7 per cent.) is almost twice that of the UK (5.4 per cent.).

MRSA

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to raise awareness of MRSA in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: The Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety is taking steps to raise awareness of MRSA as follows:
	an MRSA patient information leaflet which provides relevant data on the origins, symptoms and treatment of the disease has recently been updated. The leaflet is available throughout the health service and is accessible on the DHSSPS website:
	www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/publichealth
	an antimicrobial resistance and hand hygiene TV advertising campaign was launched in 2004 and re-run in 2005.The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the need for good hand hygiene and also to emphasise the need to reduce the use of antibiotics.
	In June the Department launched a consultation document, "A Strategy for Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections in Northern Ireland 2005–10". This document was issued to the HPSS, patient representatives and the general public. Responses to the consultation are being analysed at present and arising from this a detailed action plan will be launched at a major conference on the subject of infection control which the Department is hosting in Belfast in March 2006.

Schools

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his assessment is of the level of sectarianism in schools in Northern Ireland; and what measures he proposes to take to tackle the issue.

Angela Smith: The Department of Education does not make a formal assessment of sectarianism in schools. However, it believes that education has a key role in addressing the causes of sectarianism, which continues to be a challenge in Northern Irish society.
	Schools are currently required to teach the cross-curricular themes of Education for Mutual Understanding and Cultural Heritage, which aim to foster improved community relations. This will continue with the introduction of Citizenship Education as a key theme of the revised curriculum.
	To support this Scheme, the Department funds the Schools' Community Relations Programme which aims to encourage schools to bring together young people from across the community divide through programmes of activity designed to promote community relations in schools.
	The Department is also committed to progressing the recommendations for education as set out in "A Shared Future". The recommendations include co-ordinated action involving schools, teacher training, curricular development and the Youth Service to promote better relations among young people.

Services (Older People)

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent steps have been taken towards the improvement of services for older people in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Older People's Strategy, "Ageing in an Inclusive Society" was launched in March 2005 and includes an Implementation Plan which identifies actions for Northern Ireland Government Departments aimed at, among other things, improving the services of older people.
	A review of progress will be undertaken in mid November and I will place a report in the Library at that time.